The Effect of Diabetes

Diabetes is a condition for which there is no cure. It affects more than 285 million people globally i.e.6.4% of the worlds adult population, and though it can be managed, there are the effect of diabetes that stem from it. The effect of diabetes can range from simple fungal infections that can be easily treated with medications to more severe side effects that require amputation. The side effects a diabetic suffers will vary greatly depending on the type of diabetes they have and how well they manage and care for themselves.

People with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes are at a much higher risk than the general population for damage to the eyes, kidney, nerves, and blood vessels.

How does blood sugar cause damage?

In people with diabetes, Sugar (Glucose) accumulated in the blood at very high levels. The excess glucose can attach to proteins in the blood vessels and alter their normal structure and function. One effect of this is that the vessels become thicker and less elastic, making it hard for blood to sqeeze through.

Diabetic eye disease starts when blood vessels in the back of the eye (the retina) balloon out into pouches. Although this stage -called non proliferative retinopathy - generally does not effect vision, it can progress to a more serious for called proliferative retinopaty. This occurs when damaged blood vessels close off and new weaker vessels take their place. These new vessels can leak blood, which blocks vision. They can also cause scar tissue to grow and distort the retina.

Kidney disease starts when the blood vessels in the kidney become leaky. These leaky vessels allow protein from the blood to be excreted with urine. (It's this protein that doctors detect when they test for kidney function.) Eventually some vessels collapse and place more pressure on those that remain. Under this increased load, the remaining blood vessels are also damaged and the kidney may fail. If the disease progresses to this point, a person may have to go on dialysis - where a machine performs the role of the kidney - or receive a kidney transplant.

High blood sugar damages blood vessels and can lead to blockage. In the heart, this blockage can cause heart attacks. In fact, people with diabetes have two to four times the risk of developing heart disease or stroke than the general population. Blocked vessels in the legs can cause pain and can also impair circulation. With poor circulation, small cuts or infections are less likely to heal. Eventually, 0.6 percent of all diabetics have lower limb amputations because of damage to the feet or lower legs.

In diabetes, the nerve that become damaged are the ones that allow you to sense temperature, pressure, texture, or pain on your skin. In most people with diabetes, nerve disease (neuropathy) effects the feet and lower legs, causing numbness or tingling. The real problem arises when numbness allows injuries to the foot to go unnoticed.

To save yourself from the Effects of Diabetes - Get yourself checked regularly, take medications regularly and lead active life. Several herbs have been identified to control blood sugar in Diabetes by modern science. One such Indian herb Pterocarpus Marsupium which is well appreciated herb in Ayurveda is found to be very effective in not only controlling blood sugar but also delay the onset of complications of diabetes.

We believe that every living being has inherent right to access nutritious food to live a healthy live. Unfortunately in the world of plenty, nearly 1.1 billion people across the world and 230 million people in India does not get sufficient food and suffer from Hunger. We feel shame for such prevailing condition specially when the technology has so advanced. Understanding our social responsibility to eliminate hunger, we contribute 5% of the company's annual revenue to "Akshaya Patra Foundation" a foundation who provides free and nutritive meals with education to less privilege children's.